NCL WorldPoints CC Worth it?

[TowerOrchard]

Oh, I'm not interested!!! No offense to people who love it, but this is a pretty crappy card in terms of rewards. We play the credit card game and do MUCH, MUCH better than this.

 

And yes - no credit card is worth the rewards if you don't pay the balance in full every month. But if you do, and if you have excellent credit and if you are willing to strategize about what cards to use for various purposes, you can earn an awful lot of free travel!

Edited July 4, 2015 by TowerOrchard

[coldflame]

Oh, I'm not interested!!! No offense to people who love it, but this is a pretty crappy card in terms of rewards. We play the credit card game and do MUCH, MUCH better than this.

 

And yes - no credit card is worth the rewards if you don't pay the balance in full every month. But if you do, and if you have excellent credit and if you are willing to strategize about what cards to use for various purposes, you can earn an awful lot of free travel!

 

Care to share your faves =) ? I've been shopping for a good travel reward card that isn't tied to any one carrier and decent in terms of fees and such.

[TowerOrchard]

A lot depends on your travel goals. Check out the blog Million Mile Secrets for a primer on what cards are best for various types of travel. When you get that mastered, you can read the forums on Flyer Talk for advanced strategies for maximizing your travel points.

[coldflame]

A lot depends on your travel goals. Check out the blog Million Mile Secrets for a primer on what cards are best for various types of travel. When you get that mastered, you can read the forums on Flyer Talk for advanced strategies for maximizing your travel points.

 

Will check those out. Thanks.

[Dorhead1230]

I know what you mean about finding(losing) the right number:p

 

Here's the numbers I wrote down;

 

To redeem NCL Credit Card Points call 1-800-434-8313

 

To book a Cross Meta Upgrade call 866-954-4077

 

Good Luck !

 

 

Thank you so much!

[coldflame]

A lot depends on your travel goals. Check out the blog Million Mile Secrets for a primer on what cards are best for various types of travel. When you get that mastered, you can read the forums on Flyer Talk for advanced strategies for maximizing your travel points.

 

The Chase Sapphire looks so tempting right now. Unforgiving high interest (~16%), but $450-500 cash back for our next trip sounds very tempting, for same-as-cash deal.

[ndabunka]

I have enough on my card for a little over $600 OBC...of course I would never be able to use all that on 1 cruise, so I was thinking about using around $250 of it.

 

How do you go about doing it? Can you book the cruise using your TA and then call the number for the cc and tell them your booking number and cc number and they just apply it? I'm confused how to do it. You don't actually have to book with them right? :confused:

 

I am always surprised when people assume they couldn't make use of OBC. You can use the OBC to cover your DSC charges, pictures, drinks & even NCL-based shore excursions (I think) so why would someone think they would not be able to consume it all ...VERY easily?

Edited July 4, 2015 by ndabunka

[ndabunka]

Will you, and others in cabin, be listed on the same Credit Card account for NCL billing?

(you sign an agreement when you get your cabin cards if/that you want all charges on one card or individual)

Curious...If redeeming, why not just get the cash applied back to your credit card instead of an OBC?

 

You have attributed my moniker to someone else's post :confused:

[tymike]

I've had three NCL cards for several years and use them exclusively (always paying the balance so no interest). I have found it very easy to redeem points for OBC; I just call my PCC and he connects me to the BOA folks who do the entire three cards in a very short time.

 

This year, I paid my three kid's college tuition bills with the cards so when I redeemed my points I got over $1000 in OBC. As we are a sailing party of six who want to do excursions in Bermuda I don't think we'll have any issue spending this. In addition, two people want the spa pass as well.

 

So even with the UBP and UDP included for two of us and the UDP included for the rest I truly think the 'extra' OBC will be awesome! I look forward to a zero balance at the end of my cruise (which begins TOMORROW morning!!! :D).

 

Happy sailing to all! :)

[coldflame]

I've had three NCL cards for several years and use them exclusively (always paying the balance so no interest). I have found it very easy to redeem points for OBC; I just call my PCC and he connects me to the BOA folks who do the entire three cards in a very short time.

 

This year, I paid my three kid's college tuition bills with the cards so when I redeemed my points I got over $1000 in OBC. As we are a sailing party of six who want to do excursions in Bermuda I don't think we'll have any issue spending this. In addition, two people want the spa pass as well.

 

So even with the UBP and UDP included for two of us and the UDP included for the rest I truly think the 'extra' OBC will be awesome! I look forward to a zero balance at the end of my cruise (which begins TOMORROW morning!!! :D).

 

Happy sailing to all! :)

 

$1000 in OBC is very nice, no matter how you slice it! :)

 

Have fun.

[tymike]

Thanks so much! The OBC definitely takes some of the sting out of having three children in college at the same time!! :)

[FireEater]

I use Chase Freedom Card. Gives me cash back quarterly. This way I can use it on any cruise line, and not just Norwegian as I am not married to one line over another.

[coldflame]

I use Chase Freedom Card. Gives me cash back quarterly. This way I can use it on any cruise line, and not just Norwegian as I am not married to one line over another.

 

We have Freedom too. Very nice card but we've haven't used it in a while since I got a 0% APR for 15 mo. deal from Discover card. We usually have it at zero, but it sure came handy when apparently two of our kitchen appliances decided to kick the bucket almost simultaneously. I just applied to the Chase Sapphire which has $450 cash back (which you can use whichever way you want even cash to your bank account). I don't like the idea of deals being tied to any one cruise line.

[mitsugirly]

I am always surprised when people assume they couldn't make use of OBC. You can use the OBC to cover your DSC charges, pictures, drinks & even NCL-based shore excursions (I think) so why would someone think they would not be able to consume it all ...VERY easily?

 

So you can use this OBC to cover your DSC? That definitely makes it worth it.

 

I still haven't seen an answer as to if you can book using your TA and then use the points to be applied for the OBC versus having to actually BOOK with THEM in order to use the points?

 

I currently have a little over 61,000 points. This means that I could just have $610.00 credit applied to my cc to pay for the cruise right? Wouldn't it be the same as just using it for OBC?

 

Well actually, now that I'm thinking about it, it would work out better if I turned it in for a credit on my statement INSTEAD of using it for OBC? Because let's say my final bill on my upcoming cruise is $600 (just saying for instance) and then I use my NCL cc to pay that balance when I leave the ship. Once the bill cuts, I'm earning double points on that $600 right? THEN I could use my points to pay that balance in full. Winning x2 right? Because if I would have just turned those points in for OBC on the ship, I would have walked away from the ship owing $0 and not earning ANY additional points. Am I thinking the right way?

[MagnoliaBlossom]

So you can use this OBC to cover your DSC? That definitely makes it worth it.

 

I still haven't seen an answer as to if you can book using your TA and then use the points to be applied for the OBC versus having to actually BOOK with THEM in order to use the points?

 

I currently have a little over 61,000 points. This means that I could just have $610.00 credit applied to my cc to pay for the cruise right? Wouldn't it be the same as just using it for OBC?

 

Well actually, now that I'm thinking about it, it would work out better if I turned it in for a credit on my statement INSTEAD of using it for OBC? Because let's say my final bill on my upcoming cruise is $600 (just saying for instance) and then I use my NCL cc to pay that balance when I leave the ship. Once the bill cuts, I'm earning double points on that $600 right? THEN I could use my points to pay that balance in full. Winning x2 right? Because if I would have just turned those points in for OBC on the ship, I would have walked away from the ship owing $0 and not earning ANY additional points. Am I thinking the right way?

 

That is the reason why I never use it for OBC. I have had the card back from the old BOA days when it was an excellent program. Now I get a better deal with other cards, although I still use my NCL cards some. Our problem now is that we book through CAS, so it has limited the usefulness to us. Sure do miss the old program. We did a lot of truly free cruising then.

[Imasima752]

Well actually, now that I'm thinking about it, it would work out better if I turned it in for a credit on my statement INSTEAD of using it for OBC? Because let's say my final bill on my upcoming cruise is $600 (just saying for instance) and then I use my NCL cc to pay that balance when I leave the ship. Once the bill cuts, I'm earning double points on that $600 right? THEN I could use my points to pay that balance in full. Winning x2 right? Because if I would have just turned those points in for OBC on the ship, I would have walked away from the ship owing $0 and not earning ANY additional points. Am I thinking the right way?

 

I've also been thinking about whether to use some or all of my points for OBC, cc credit or cash. Right now I'm leaning towards cash after our upcoming cruise. I'll be using my card for our on board spending to get double points so I'm thinking earn the double points and then use all of my points to pay the card off when we get home. I just don't know if I want it as a credit on my card or actual cash. Is one better than the other?

[candygirl27540]

You don't have to book with anyone in particular.You can apply for OBC up to a week before your sailing. You could also use your points to pay down your cruise cost before final payment. I guess you could use points after your cruise to pay off your bill,but I think someone said its .08 cents on the dollar if turned into cash.

[mitsugirly]

You don't have to book with anyone in particular.You can apply for OBC up to a week before your sailing. You could also use your points to pay down your cruise cost before final payment. I guess you could use points after your cruise to pay off your bill,but I think someone said its .08 cents on the dollar if turned into cash.

 

 

Turning it all into cash depends on the amount of points you currently have on what you earn.

 

2500-9,999=.005

10,000-24,999=.008

25,000+=.010

[MagnoliaBlossom]

I've also been thinking about whether to use some or all of my points for OBC, cc credit or cash. Right now I'm leaning towards cash after our upcoming cruise. I'll be using my card for our on board spending to get double points so I'm thinking earn the double points and then use all of my points to pay the card off when we get home. I just don't know if I want it as a credit on my card or actual cash. Is one better than the other?

 

 

No benefit of cash over statement credit, unless something has changed recently, they both reward the same percentage as mitsugirly posted above. If you can hold out for the 25,000 level you will make the most of your points. Remember that whatever you charge onboard will add to your points, which you an redeem post cruise.

Happy sailing

Georgia

[Imasima752]

No benefit of cash over statement credit, unless something has changed recently, they both reward the same percentage as mitsugirly posted above. If you can hold out for the 25,000 level you will make the most of your points. Remember that whatever you charge onboard will add to your points, which you an redeem post cruise.

Happy sailing

Georgia

 

Thank you, Georgia! I have over 25,000 so definitely better for me to get the cash or credit than OBC.